Month: December 2017

Americans who live in storm-prone areas understand the gravity of hurricanes, need for insurance and emergency plans, and have a strategy for survival and recovery. They also read up on meteorology, property risk mitigation, real property market, and emergency management. Some even go as far as taking formal lessons in weather patterns and bunker construction. When it comes to Mother Nature, you can never be too prepared.

People who have experienced a Category 4 or 5 hurricane will describe it as “scary” and “stressful.” Immediately after the hurricane, the relief is only but fleeting. Then the physical and emotional toil sets in as you try to put order back into your lives while trying to keep a lid on the trauma of loss or damages.

On top of having to take care of repairs, there is the added pressure to go back to work and start earning to pay for the unexpected expenses. A homeowner also has to face government officials who start making house calls to inspect homes alongside insurance agents, banks officials or financiers for mortgaged property, and relatives calling to offer or ask for help. In the case of Hurricane Irma, about 1 million homeowners had to survive a week without power while others had to wait for days before they could get help.

The government is constantly improving public service to victims of hurricanes. After Hurricane Katrina, the lessons learned included using the same playbook, enhancing first responder training, building emergency supply inventory way before the hurricane season, and learning to ask for help from the citizens. All lessons the government was able to apply during Hurricane Harvey and other hurricanes that followed.

However, the government cannot be relied on 100% to be the sole protector of the public. Individual homeowners should take the initiative to enhance their personal preparedness to minimize damage and trauma. After all, the government has limited resources and cannot be in all places at one time. Even though authorities are better today with natural calamities, there is room for improvement, especially in relief and recovery.  Recovery takes time.

As homeowners, you can invest in your property with hurricane impact windows and doors, roof ties, and other hurricane protection solutions like a generator. You should also keep your insurance updated, suggest a mobile alert program for the community, and educate families in the neighborhood about safe zones and protecting one’s health against trauma and mental stress.

Many homes in the state of Florida and around the country have installed hurricane impact windows. At East Coast windows, while this trend has validated our products, we also believe in making sure homeowners understand the realities of owning a hurricane-protected structure.

One of the main reasons for hurricane impact windows and doors is that fact that these products can stand against heavy debris traveling at a speed of 50 feet/second. And hurricane impact windows and doors do not look unsightly at all. They are beautifully crafted in different designs from double-hung to fixed, and from sliding door to casement.

Another reason for the popularity of hurricane windows and doors is the fact that they are security windows as well and can protect a family from vandals, intruders, and thieves.  And here is where East Coast offers the difference.

In many cases in the past, when fires break out in a house with hurricane impact windows and doors, firefighters have a very difficult time accessing the house. They require tools and at least five precious minutes to break the windows and doors. Those who are trapped inside, on the other hand, experience similar difficulties. This situation has prompted us to either make sure there are interior open/close window and door operations that can be used or that there is a warning system that will inform and advice firefighters about the windows and doors structure. This will save time and allow first responders to adjust to the situation more quickly.

For those inside the house, we at East Coast suggest that all adult/responsible family members be oriented on how to exit the house safely. There should be a designated place where hand tools are kept inside the house for the purpose of making a hole in the glass. You can also inform your fire department to encode in their database that you have hurricane impact windows and doors. Some fire departments welcome this information but will require further details such as the type and sizes of impact windows and doors.

The additional steps you need to take may be a little inconvenient, but it’s a small adjustment for such a safe and secure investment on your property and family. Hurricane windows save lives and property. In many parts of the country, these kinds of windows are mandated in building codes especially in the Midwest area but are evident in parts that don’t normally get hit by hurricanes.

Along with hurricane impact windows and doors, there are other ways you can protect your house and family as your second line of defense. For instance, you can use hurricane roof clips to tie down your roof. These clips can hold up to 1500 pounds, although the standard weight for low danger areas is 500 pounds. Another option for protecting your roof is the cable tie which holds the roof in place with a cable system.

Finally, a relatively new innovation is the concrete cloth which can protect the walls of your home. This technology can stop a bullet from penetrating the wall and comes in a dry mixture which you mix with water.

There you have it! The complete hurricane set-up for your home! Contact us today for your hurricane impact windows and doors and be prepared for the next big one!

2017 is now being seen as one of the worst hurricane seasons since 2005 because even though the hurricane season has not yet ended, there have already been 4 hurricanes to make landfall in the country, three of them were category 4 storms.

The question is not about the significance of the hurricane season although it is important. At East Coast, we prefer to ask property owners if they are satisfied with the performance of their hurricane windows and doors.

It has come to our knowledge from news reports that many homes in Florida whose owners invested in impact windows were duped. They were misled by marketing hype that relied on certain industry terms to sell a product.

Let us explain and help sort through the confusion. In this industry, there are different ways to protect windows and doors and ultimately, the house from damage due to strong winds and heavy debris. Hurricane shutters, plywood, or hurricane windows. What not many supplier will fail to explain is that there is a difference between a hurricane window and a hurricane impact window which we have at East Coast Windows.

The Difference between Hurricane Windows and Hurricane Impact Windows

Hurricane impact windows are impact resistant windows which have a higher resistance to heavy debris, fierce rain, and loud noises. They are safer and cannot be broken easily even by hurling an object at it by burglars or firefighters. It would require a power drill to cut a hole in a hurricane impact window or door so you can just imagine how strong these windows and doors are.

Hurricane impact products are manufactured in a different way as well. They use laminated glass bonded together with an clear interlayer that traps air between 2 glass panes and then followed by a third glass panel for insulation which is also air insulated to reduce heat transfer.

You can choose between two kinds of hurricane impact windows based on resistance: one that can resist small objects (PVB glass) and the other for larger objects (PET laminated glass).

Hurricane windows, on the other hand, are stronger than your standard window system but not as strong as the hurricane impact resistant systems. You can tell if your windows are hurricane impact or simple hurricane windows. With the impact resistant windows and doors, you should have a state certificate from your supplier. This is the certificate you can show to your insurer to request for lower rates. Some hurricane windows though are laminated well enough to resist small objects but will shatter when hit by larger debris.

There is the laser test which is not 100% reliable although it can be a starting point. The laser should be able to go through the window and be seen on the other side as a single dot only if it is impact resistant. In addition, the product itself should have a sticker stating that it is “Florida product approved” or “Miami-Dade county approved.”

Finally, you can request for an inspector to drop by your home to check the windows and doors. This document from a home inspector can also be used for insurance purposes.

Hurricane Irma left behind 32 deaths in three states as of last count with the government already spending $250 million initially on recovery efforts. Irma came on the heels of another hurricane, Hurricane Harvey, which struck parts of Texas and caused damages worth over $100 billion.Continue reading